Epheh. See Vipek.
E'pher (Heb. id. "IS", the gopher, go called from its gray or ashy color), the name of a tribe (including that of its founder) and of two men.
1. (Sept. 'A0fip V. r. 'Gfdp, in Chron. 'Opip, Vulg. Opher and Ephir.') The second in order of the sons of Midian (Gen. xxv, 4; 1 Chron. i, 33), Abraham's son by Keturah. B.C. post 1988. According to Ge- senius, the name is equivalent to the Arabic Ghifr, signifying "a calf," and "a certain little animal, or insect, or animalcule." Two tribes bear a similar appellation, Ghifar ; but one was a branch of the first Amalek, the other of the Ishmaelito Kinaneli (comp. Caussin, Essai snr VHist. des Arahes, i, 20, 297, 298; and Abulfeda, Hist. Anteislmnica, edit. Fleischer, p. 19G) : neither is ascribed to Midian. The first settled about Yethrib (El-Medineh) ; the second in the neigh- borhood of Mekkeh. — Smith, s. v. See Midiax.
2. (Sept. 'A(piQ V. r. Vci^ip, Vulg. Epher.) The third son of Ezra, a descendant of the tribe of Judah, and apparently of Caleb, the son of Jephunneh (1 Chron. iv, 17). B.C. cir. 1G18.
3. (Sept. '0<p(p, Vulg. Epher.) The head of one of the families of Manasseh cast, who were carried away by Tiglath-Pileser (1 Chron. v, 24). B.C. ante 740. The name may be compared with that of Ophrah (q. v.), the native place of Gideon, in Manasseh, on the west of Jordan.
E'phes-dam'mim (Heb. E'phes Dammini , DIN d"^'!, appar. hoiindary of blood ; Sept. 'Apfo-tiojiaV or 'AfpKTCopiitiv V. i.'EcfxppoVyYulg. JInrs Dovnnin), a place in the tribe of Judah between Shochoh and Aze- kah, where the Philistines were encamped when David fouglit with Goliath (1 Sam. xvii, 1). The similar, but not parallel passage (1 Chron. xi, l.']), has the shorter form Pas-Dammim. The name was probal)!}' derived from its being the scene of frequent sangui- nary- encounters between Israel and the Philistines. On his way from Beit-Jilirin to Jerusalem, Van de Velde came past a ruined site on the high northward- looking brow of wady jMusur, about one hour E. by S. of Beit-Netif, called Khirbet Damun, which he has
no doubt represents the ancient Ephes-Dammim, ancj "which fixes the place of the camp of Goliath just at its foot, where the valley contracts, and may, indeed be called the pass [or extremity] of Danimim" (Me- moir, p. 290). In that case the narrative of 1 Sam. xvii, becomes plain : "the gorge" (N^l'il) between the battle-lines of the two armies (ver. 3), and along which the first rout and pursuit occurred (ver. 52), was no other than the wady Musur itself, which is so narrow immediately at this spot. See Elah (Valley of).
Ephe'sian (^EipiatoQ), a native or resident of the city of Ephesus (q. v.), in Asia Minor (Acts xix, 28, 34, 35 ; xxi, 29). The similar adj. Ephesine (E(jjcoi- voQ, " of Ephesus") also occurs (Rev. ii, 1).
EPHESIANS, Epistle to, or Paul's letter ad- dressed to the Christian Church at the ancient and fa- mous cit}' of Ephesus (see below), that church which the apostle had himself founded (Acts xix, 1 sq. ; comp. xviii, 19), with which he abode so long (rpifr/ai', Acts XX, 31), and from the elders of which he parted with such a warm-hearted and affecting farewell (Acts xx, 18-S5). See Paul.
I. Authenticity. — This epistle expressh' claims to be the production of the apostle Paul (i, 1 ; iii, 1) ; and this claim the writer, in the latter of these passages, follows up by speaking of himself in language such as that apostle is accustomed to use in descriliinghis own position as an ambassador of Christ (iii, 1, 3, 8, 9). The justice of this claim seems to have been universal- !}• admitted by the early Christians, and it is expressly sanctioned by several of the fathers of the second and third centuries (Irenreus, adv. Ifcer. v, 2, 3 ; v, 14, 3 ; Clemens Alexandr. Pcvdagog. i. 108 ; Protrept. ix, G9, ed. Potter; Btrmn. iv, 8, p. 592; Origen, cont. Cels. iii, 20; iv, 211, ed. Spencer; Tertullian, adv. lifarc. V, 11, 17 ; De Pressor. Hcnr. ch. 3G ; Cyprian, Tedim. iii, 7, etc.) ; and after them the constant and persistent tradition of the ancient Church. Even Marcion did not denj^ that the epistle was written by Paul, nor did heretics refuse occasionally to cite it as confeseedly due to him as its author (Irena?us, Hcer. i, 8, 5 ; see Hug, Introd. Fosdick's transl. p. 551 ; Hippolj'tus, Fhiloso- phumena, vi, 34). In recent times, however, its gen- uineness has been somewhat vehemently called in question. The epistle is also cited as part of sacred Scripture by Polycarp (A)), ad Philipp. c. 1 ; c. 12) ; and it is probabh' to it that Ignatius refers in writing to the Ephesians (c. 12; compare Cotelerii Annot. in loc. ; Pearson, Vind. Jgnaiian. pt. ii, p. 119; Lardner's Works, ii, 70, 8vo). De Wette has attempted, from internal evidence, to set aside this external proof of the Pauline origin of this epistle ; but his cavils have been so fully and satisfactorily answered 1 y Schctt (Isag. in N. T. p. 2G0), Guerike (Bdtrd(,e zur hist. krit. Einhitmig ins N. T. p. lOG), Ilemsen (Dtr Ap. Paiilus, p. 130), Euckert (Ler Br. Pmdi an die Epkeser, p. 289), and others, that later De Wette himself, both in the introductory pages of his Commentary on this epistle (ed. 2, 1847), ami in his Introduction to the N. T. (ed. 5, 1848), only labors to prove that it is a mere spirit- I;ss expansion of the epistle to the Colossians, though compiled in the apostolic age. Schvvegler (Xacha- post. Zeitalt. ii, 330 sq.), Baur (Paidus, p. 418 sq.), and others advance a step farther, and reject both epistles as of no higher antiquity than the age of ISIontanism and early Gnosticism. The objections adduced are chiefly the following : 1. The absence of any friendly greetings in this epistle, coupled with what are alleged to be indications of want of previous acquaintance on the part of the writer with the Ephesians, fticts ivhich, it is asserted, are incompatible with the supposition that it was written by Paul, whose relations with the Ephesian Church were so intimate. 2. The occur- rence of words, and phrases, and sentiments, which indicate acquaintance with those Gnostic ideas which were familiar only at a period much later than that of